Monday, April 11, 2005

Amon: The Apocalypse of Devilman

ZimmyMasaki's Description:
Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman takes place after the original Devilman OAVs. Akira continues his struggle against the demons while having to fight against the demon within himself. Akira is joined by two allies in his fight, and tries to continue a normal life with Miki. Demons are rapidly becoming public knowledge and mass hysteria is beginning to break out.

An all-out action anime. >>> by ZimmyMasaki
Go Nagai has built up a bit of a cult following with his often controversial anime. Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman is an excellent example of his work. This title is a definite must have for Devilman fans and also action junkies. However, other people may just find something in this to like. Admittedly, the plot can be very confusing and I had to watch it twice before fully understanding what had happened. If you haven't seen the two previous Devilman Ova's then you will be at a complete loss. It is seriously recommended to check them out first as they are well worth it and will definitely clarify things in this movie.

The movie shouldn't really be viewed without seeing them first. When you do follow the plot you'll find it pretty good. Character development is severely lacking, though. Furthermore, some events happen far too fast, leaving you stunned. You can consider this as positive or negative; it's all up to you. One question that will leave you hanging after the movie is, "Where is the ending?" Hopefully a sequel is planned.

The area where this anime really stands out is its fight scenes which are fantastic but defiantly not for the weak of stomach. This anime contains some incredibly gruesome scenes. The fight scenes are especially good as they each demon's movement is unique. The fluidity of animation moves at an incredible pace, featuring some wonderful use of the demons' different powers. The animation isn't up to par with Ghost in the Shell, but it remains a satisfying watch, overall. The artwork has a very clean look to it and the style really suits the movie.

To be honest, the music is so-so, nothing memorable. It's very hard to remember any of it a day after seeing the movie. The sound effects, however, are very nice. Whether it be the breaking of bones or piercing of flesh, everything sounds exactly as it should. Everything is very crisp and clear.

Overall, if you like horror and action anime, this is absolutely worth watching.